MUNIFICENCE PAMUN 2015
February 13, 2016
Volume 15, Issue 1
Welcome to PAMUN XV!
photo by Berangere Judis
General Assembly at PAMUN XIV by Kathleen Falconer
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are with history, well you are right it won't be the same. What it will be, however, is set in locations that have a political legacy of their very own; Maison de la Mutualité and Collège des Bernardins. The Maison de la Mutualité will house the majority of the committees as well as opening and closing ceremonies. The Special Conference, living up to its name, will be the sole committee gathering in the Collège des Bernardins. Both buildings have born witness to major national events, The Maison has had all major labour unions hold meetings within its walls and the Collège, built in 1245AD by Cistercian monks, saw the French Revolution unfold. It was this event that ended its five hundred year long run of being used as a monastery. The buildings are not just culturally abundant, they are also quite frankly stunning and will serve as fitting replacements for UNESCO. As Hannah Lyne-Smith, 2015 ICJ advocate for Spain, put it to me,"It is a shame that tradition has been broken especially for seniors as this conference will be their last, however the new location does look appealing". Still not convinced? Fair enough, but remember that MUN is about so much more than location. Yes the UNESCO headquarters added a certain gravity to the event, but if it's a sense of seriousness you're looking for, look no further than the fervour with which delegates prepare for the conference. It is your hard work and passion that makes Model United Nations what it is, not the four walls you find yourself in. I firmly believe holding PAMUN in a cardboard box would not change the standard of the debating, though admittedly it might pose some practical problems. Though you may believe that this switch in venue will impact the quality of the conference, I encourage you to have more faith in yourselves and your fellow students, PAMUN 2015 will, I am sure, be just as resounding a success as ever before.
Staff Writer
estled amidst the heart of Paris, the UNESCO Headquarters is arguably one of the most striking buildings in the capital, contrasting, as it does, against the surrounding architecture. It is then fitting that a structure deemed so innovative, so groundbreaking has been the home of decisions that would change the course of history. It is hard not to be inspired and impassioned when standing inside the main conference hall, knowing you are following in the dress-shoed footsteps of some of Planet Earth's most influential residents. International relations is not the only area the headquarters is rich in. Soon after its completion, the building was scattered with wonderful works of art, stroll down its hallways and you would be forgiven for mistakenly believing yourself to be inside a leading art gallery. There is one slight problem; no delegate is going to be strolling through the UNESCO Headquarters' hallways this year, and not because the nature of the conference requires delegates to constantly walk at a nervously brisk pace. No the reality is that, due to a scheduling conflict involving a pesky Climate Change Summit, PAMUN will unfortunately not be able to be held at its traditional venue. This has understandably caused quite a stir as the UNESCO building was highly popular with all concerned. Joey Stack attended PAMUN 14 as the Special Conference's Russian Delegate and will be returning this year as part of the Egyptian delegation. I asked him what he thought about the change in venue and he said he thought that debating inside the UNESCO Headquarters, "was really incredible and [he is] quite disappointed that it's not being held there this year. It helped the conference seem more realistic and made you feel a lot more professional." For all those similarly concerned that PAMUN simply won't be the same if not hosted within UNESCO's walls- saturated as they
Inside Paris Attacks
What it was like experiencing the attacks both in Paris and out
Rape in South Asia An indepth look at a heavy duty topic
Europe's Refugee Crisis
that this year's delegate will have to face
How to deal with such a difficullt issue
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– page 03 anmadero@asparis.fr
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Please recycle
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February 13, 2016
MUNIFICENCE
News
Cyber Warfare: the Newest Frontier of International Conflict Monitoring
a simulated test at Central Control Facility at Eglin Air Force Base
by Blythe Edwards
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Staff Writer
he PAMUN Disarmament Committee will address cyber warfare in response to ongoing covert cyber attacks between UN member states that raise concerns over both international security and possible escalation from cyber attacks to more traditional hostilities. Cyber warfare constitutes acts of aggression between member states in violation of the UN charter. Because cyber warfare is conducted by stealth attacks masked by proxies and zombie computers, it is difficult to prove whether the attack is state-sponsored espionage, corporate espionage, or a random hacker attack. In light of these difficulties in assigning responsibility for cyber attacks, the Disarmament Committee will consider forming consensus principles, guidelines and recommendations related to cyber warfare and security to present to
the General Assembly. Cyber warfare predates the world wide web. The first suspected inter-state cyber attack was launched by the US against the USSR in 1982 when it used a Trojan horse hidden within gas pipeline control software to cause the largest ever non-nuclear explosion and fire in an attempt to cripple the trans-Siberian pipeline. The USSR denied the explosion was caused by sabotage. The increasing interconnectedness of the world's computer infrastructure makes government and industrial systems that control defence and domestic safety increasingly vulnerable to cyber attack. Daily cyber attacks affect member states large and small. When the victim has reason to suspect another member state of launching the attack, it worsens relations and increases suspicion and hostility. North Korea was accused by South Korea of an attack
on its financial institution networks in 2013 and by the US in 2015 of an attack on Sony Corp. Both Estonia and Georgia suffered attacks that appeared coordinated with disputes with Russia. In 2012, a worldwide, multi-year cyber-attack dubbed “Red October,” was discovered targeting primarily countries in Eastern Europe, the former USSR and Central Asia. On Christmas 2008, India's largest bank was infiltrated by hackers in Pakistan. In 2009, hackers, believed to be a criminal organisation based in a former Soviet state, and paid for by Hamas or Hezbollah, attacked Israeli government websites during the Gaza Strip military offensive. In January 2010, a group named the "Iranian Cyber Army” disrupted the popular Chinese search engine Baidu, redirecting users to an Iranian political message. Later in 2010, the Stuxnet worm, believed to be a joint US-Israeli
attack, targeted the Iranian nuclear program in order to destroy its centrifuges. In January 2011, Canada reported a major cyber attack against its defence and economic agencies. One of the largest ongoing cyber conflicts is between China and the US. Between 2003 and 2005, Chinese military hackers attempting to gather information on U.S. systems coordinated a series of cyber attacks, known as Titan Rain, on American and British computer systems, including an incident in 2006 where a part of the UK House of Commons computer system was shut down. In 2007, China’s Ministry of State Security claimed Taiwanese and US hackers were stealing sensitive information from China. In September of this year, the Obama administration determined to retaliate for the cyber theft of the personal information of more than 20 million Americans from US government da-
tabases. China maintains plausible deniability and claims that US accusations are unfounded and that China resolutely opposes hacking and has put in place a legal framework to prosecute hackers. The PAMUN Disarmament Committee recognizes that because there is no globally accepted definition of cyber warfare and cyber weaponry it is difficult for the international community to agree on a legal framework, prevent cyber attacks, or hold actors accountable for employing software, viruses, or intrusion devices to disrupt critical infrastructures of other countries.
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World News MUNificence
February 13, 2016
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The Paris Attacks: a Night of Chaos and Fraternity Experiencing the Attacks from Within Paris
Friday the 13th, an Outside Perspective by Kathleen Falconer
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Staff Writer
Paris is under attack.” Not words I ever thought I would hear. Certainly I would never have imagined these would be the words I would read, in various forms, in headlines from all over the world. That evening and the following day, an eerie sense of contained chaos descended. It is a strange feeling to know one of your bordering nations, a country you have come to know and love is living a very real nightmare, whilst all you can do is attempt to sleep and hope tomorrow will bring, if not good news then certainly an end to the bad. Subsequently any laughter felt out of place, The news became something both be constantly checked and indeed, after a certain point, to be avoided. The sheer brutality of the events was almost impossible to comprehend. For many of us, Paris was an overdue wake up call that crisis was not a concept limited to ‘faraway places’. We were reminded that the events seen in this tragedy are mirrored throughout the world, for some on a daily basis. I will ashamedly but resolutely hold my hands up and say that I am too often disconnected from the horrors experienced by humanity. I renounce them, I report on them, I rejoice if they come to an end, yet all this while, rarely do they ever feel ‘real’. Paris felt real. I am well aware that this admission feeds into the discussion surrounding the Paris attacks, whereby criticism was leveled at those offering their sympathy solely towards Paris, despite the
many tragedies that recently had occurred across the globe. As part of an international community, I believe it is imperative that we do stay informed about more than merely our surrounding areas. That we endeavour to prevent the reaction; “Not this again,” to news of such matters as the ongoing refugee crisis. As participants of a Model United Nations conference, I feel confident in assuming that on this we agree. As our MUN director, Ouriel Reshef, so eloquently reminded us, now more than ever is it paramount that conferences such as ours should take place. To show those who would do us harm that they will not shut down the discussion of global issues, nor will they lead us into uninformed panic, thereby causing us to turn on one another out of fear. As an outsider looking in, I must say just how struck I was by the dignity and defiance exhibited by the people of France in response to the attacks. The immediate response of people offering their homes as places of shelter, the countless people who queued outside hospitals to give blood, the members of Muslim communities who whether they ‘needed to’ or not stepped up and spoke out against the attacks. Indeed it would seem the only way to respond to such atrocities is with humanity. Afterall, when terrorists launch attacks in any nation of the world they do so onto humanity itself, it is a fight they will not win.
by Lea Moukanas
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Staff Writer
uicide bombing, mass shooting in cafés and theatres: this sounds like a horrible and improbable nightmare for any country in peace. Yet, on November 13th 2015, three ISIS teams launched six coordinated terrorist attacks in and near Paris, France, killing 130 innocent civilians and wounding 380 others. 21:30. Sitting behind my desk, my history books wide opened, I study page after page Saturday morning’s test on World War One, kept awake by my brother and father’s encouraging yelling next door: “Allez-les bleus!”. A couple of minutes later, when reaching President Wilson’s fourteen points, news brutally pop up on my phone: Hostages are taken at the Bataclan while shootings occurred in several restaurants, and numerous bombings occurred near the French Stadium. I was shocked!. I went to the living room, snatched the television’s remote control and switched to the news. I saw policemen protected by bullet-proof vests, first victims reddened by the blood of a friend – or sometimes of an unknown. A shiver runs thought my body; Charlie Hebdo attacks are not far away in my memory. This night, thinking of all the innocents who forever are
sleeping, I didn’t really manage to sleep. I phoned traumatized friends and got phone calls from family abroad. As I was reading the news, the human disaster was growing bigger and bigger. However, the stake of terrorists has not been achieved. This night, more than ever, just like millions of other people, I felt that I was proud to be French and did something I would’ve never expect doing: I hung a French flag at my window. Blue, red and white made me realize that above sentences like “French are racist” or even “French don’t like each other”, French love their country, a country they are ready to lose their lives for. Yes, some innocent died. Yes, some of us will die in the future. Others will lose a friend, a cousin or a brother. Because to have courage we all have to fear, because we all share that same flame of patriotism, because we all stand together, united behind a same blue, behind a same red, behind a same white, not only will we win the battle against terrorism, but Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Kenya and all the other countries will too. “Allez les bleus.”
PARIS ATTACKS People all over the world stand in solidarity to show support for Paris in the wake of the attacks
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February 13, 2016
If Becoming a Terrorist is Easy, How do we Prevent it? by Megumi Sano
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Staff Writer
urrently, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or the so-called ISIS, is expanding its territory across Syria and Iraq. ISIS is a jihadist extremist militant group and has been recruiting thousands of people across the globe. Unfortunately, its international recruitment has been successful with its effective use of online propaganda, thus maximizing its power as an international terrorist organization. Organizations like ISIS have specific targets for recruitment.In 2007, the United Kingdom’s MI5 Chief, Jonathan Evans, stated that, “Terrorists were methodically and intentionally targeting young people and children in the UK.” For example, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas have recruited children as young as thirteen to be suicide bombers. Not only is the recruitment of young people crucial to the terrorist group’s continual existence in the future, it is also beneficial to the recruited victims because the group offers to meet their personal, economic, and social needs. Leaders around the world have started to address this issue with a sense of obligation, including Barack Obama who states firmly that we must “prevent these groups from radicalizing, recruiting, or inspiring others to violence.” However our focus must be on the recruited, rather than the recruiters. How can we prevent people from embracing hateful ideologies before they turn to violence? The most prominent form of prevention is proper education. With the right resources for the younger population, we can prevent the growth of these terrorist organizations in the long term. Many who enroll in these organizations are motivated by the impulsive desire to escape their own situations. Often they don’t know about the harsh realities of these groups. By bolstering local educational resources, we can provide them with the right knowledge. For instance, The United States and the United Arab Emirates are planning to launch a digital communication hub along with technology camps, to further push back against the cyber recruitment efforts. Furthermore, school-based programs have been implemented in some regions to raise awareness among students and teachers about radicalization. Especially in developing countries, poverty can push people to make irreversible choices. Low employment rates take away their economic prospects, leaving them to feel that they have no alternative option. Enrollment in ISIS requires only a recommendation by a previous member, making it easy for one to join. If people are granted financially more stable lives and more job opportunities, the less likely they are to turn to ISIS or any other terrorist organization. On the other hand, in developed countries, we must end prejudice towards the minorities. Terrorists radicalize immigrant populations, youth, and alienated minorities by manipulating and exploiting their grievances. Muslims in developed countries often feel excluded from society, developing their ambition to live in a place where they feel accepted. This place tends to be a terrorist group, for the recruited members hold diversity despite their uniformity. We must address the political and economic grievances disaffected youths may have to make them feel welcomed in their own society. A combination of these measures has the potential to prevent international terrorist recruitment. It can also alleviate the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis in Europe, by quelling the growth of ISIS. The number of these refugees, shoved out of their own country by ISIS, has now reached an astonishing 9 million. But little by little, we can make a difference.
MUNIFICENCE
News
Efforts to Reduce Global Warming in the UAE by Oksana NIkitenko Staff Writer
Global warming is a problem that affects each and every one of us. Every city, country, region, and continent has their own specific predicaments, and solutions. Areas in the Persian Gulf find themselves in a conundrum as deadly heat and humidity waves are due to hit them by the end of this century. Specifically for places near the warm waters of the gulf, the extreme conditions in the summer could inundate the human body’s ability to reduce its temperature through ventilation and sweat. This problem will especially impact people without air-conditioning, and those who work outdoors. One of the countries that will be affected is the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Known for its constant innovation in construction, technology, and simply extravagant lifestyle; it is also known as one of the top 10 biggest greenhouse-emitting countries. With each summer hitting new records of heat, the people in the UAE know that global warming is a serious problem. However, the government had already started facing this problem in 2006. Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, had launched Masdar (translation from Arabic: “the source”), which is the world’s first zero-carbon, zero-waste, car-free city. It is “a multi-faceted, multi-billion dollar investment in renewable and alternative energy and clean technology” (UAE Embassy). This project became a reality in 2008. It is six squared kilometers and is home to international businesses and top minds in the field of sustainable and alternative energy, “Electricity is generated by photovoltaic panels, while cooling is provided by concentrated solar power. Water is provided through a solar-powered desalination plant. Landscaping within the city and crops
grown outside the walled city is irrigated with greywater and treated wastewater produced by the city’s water treatment plant.” (UAE Embassy) Masdar City is one of the leading projects of the “One Planet Living™” program, which is a global initiative started by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to prove that living within ecological limits and improving the quality of people’s lives is possible. In June 2007, Masdar City received the first World Clean Energy Award from the Transatlantic 21 Association in Basel, Switzerland. Several months later, its design was voted “Sustainable Region/ City of the Year” at Euromoney and Ernst & Young’s Global Renewable Energy Awards. Masdar also hosts the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), the largest gathering on sustainability in the Middle East, and it strives to create a passage to sustainability worldwide. It is a global platform that addresses the consequential challenges that affect the increase and adoption of sustainable development as well as clean energy. Topics such as economic development, poverty eradication, energy security, water scarcity and climate change are vital in addressing the global energy challenge. In 2015, ADSW had over 32,000 participants from 170 countries in order to undertake issues in energy, water, and the environment to quicken the adoption of renewable energy and sustainable development worldwide, address water challenges in arid regions, stimulate investment in water, energy and environment projects, and to empower the young generations and entrepreneurs. (Masdar Official Site)
Mazdar city the world's first zero-waste city, completed in 2008
World News
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MUNIFICENCE
February 13, 2016
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PAMUN Tackles Rape in South Asia by Keiko Cooper-Hohn Guest Writer
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nfortunately, rape, along with the stigma it carries, is an irrefutable issue all around the world; however, its dominating prevalence in South Asia cannot be overlooked. There are many reasons argued as to why rape is so pervasive throughout South Asia in comparison to the rest of the world, many of which derive from the social, political and economic status of both the victim as an individual and the region as a whole. These reasons include caste discrimination, gender inequality and legal depravity, all of which are to be urgently explored and deliberated at the PAMUN XV conference. In India, as well as Nepal and Sri Lanka, the caste system has played a huge role in shaping the country’s societal structures; still today, though to a lesser extent, the caste system holds an inherent influence over the rights and treatment of South Asian individuals. The notion of caste actually derives from Hinduism, a religion still practiced today by over 80% of India’s population (National Census). The belief is that if one is born into a low caste, it is because he/she has sinned in a past life. For this reason, many people feel they deserve the misery they are experiencing and therefore neglect to protest against the maltreatment they receive. Likewise, many of higher castes act under the justification that they deserve to hold power over those of inferior caste. Members of the lowest/ poorest castes, most especially the Dalits (formerly known as “untouchables”), are treated with the least respect, and are resultantly most vulnerable to rape. SR Darapuri, vice-president of the People's Union for Civil Liberties in Uttar Pradesh, confirms this, noting that “90% of [rape] victims are
Dalits,” and “85% of Dalit rape victims are underage girls." (BBC Interview) The gender inequality engrained in South Asian culture has also been seen to encourage abusive and misogynistic behavior. As suggested by Indian writer Salil Tripathi, “rape is not about sex. Instead, it is an establishment of power, control and notions of masculinity.” (DNA News India) In many South Asian countries, the belief that a woman is inferior to her male counterpart is subconsciously practiced in almost every aspect of daily life. The concept of a women’s subservience to her husband is also, in many ways, encouraged by India’s major Bollywood industry as a typical male Bollywood protagonist (who will assumedly serve as a role model to many Indian males) is characterized by machismo and violence, while the girls in Bollywood (and Hollywood) films are often portrayed as sex objects to ultimately be obtained as a the hero’s own. This notion is depicted through the media over and over again, subconsciously teaching men that they have a right to claim a woman’s body. It can also be argued that female degradation as such is enforced further through the South Asian traditions such as early and arranged marriage, during which girls may be objectified at the benefit of her family and potential husband. In such a marriage, girls may be more reluctant to give sexual consent to a man who they have not come to love on their own terms; however, the idea that one must subject to their husband manifests itself within the walls of a house nonetheless, leading to domestic/marital rape, the most common form of sexual abuse in South Asia. This is said to be the primary reason why domestic/ marital rape goes largely unreported in South Asia,
though it is far from the only reason. The primary reason that rapists go unpunished is because the rapes themselves are simply not reported. One of the main causes of this is that in many South Asian countries, a rape victim is thought to bring dishonor and shame onto their family. This is because they are seen as ‘unclean’. As a result, declared rape victims are also seen as unworthy and unsuitable for marriage. It is thus understandable why, in a culture where a traditional woman’s life ambition is to be married off, victims are often reluctant to speak up about any sexual abuse they have experienced. Another reason why rapes go unreported in South Asia is that the raping of a woman by a man other than her husband is too often regarded as ‘adultery’ on her behalf, again discouraging the woman from seeking help for fear of being named the culprit instead of the victim. The second main reason why rapes go unpunished in South Asia is because even if they are reported, the systems of law-enforcement are very much corrupt. The first line of corruption is serviced by the police. A study in two South Asian countries found that between 74-94% of police supported the belief that a husband has the right to rape his wife (aic.gov.au publications). In another study using data from 39 global countries, showed that where women were present in the police force, the reporting of sexual assault increased significantly; yet the average police force in South Asia is recorded as being less than 3% female (The Guardian). The secondary line of corruption is demonstrated in South Asian courts. Instead of enforcing laws to stop men from committing rape, they create laws to force women to desexualize themselves. For example, responses to the recent case of gang-
rape in New Delhi, India included: suggesting a ban on allowing girls to wear skirts as uniforms, as called for by a Rajasthan state legislator; the burning of jeans and t-shirts by a minister in Madhya Pradesh; a proposal to redesign girls’ uniforms with an addition of an overcoat by the Puducherry School Education Minister; the recommendation for a further “sober and dignified” dress code for girls, by the Islamist group Jamaat-e-Islami Hind; and the blaming of rape on “Western values” by Mohan Bhagwat, chief of the Hindu nationalist organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (Human Rights Watch). In addition to this, women are hugely under-represented in the South Asian justice system, with less than 9% of judicial positions and only 4% of prosecution staff fulfilled by females (gov.uk) Unaffordable costs also lock South Asian women out of the justice system, with fees for forensic examinations (often essential proof in rape cases) cost between US$5-US$14 in Cambodia, about two weeks’ average income in rural areas (UN Women). Though the majority of investigation, initiatives for improvement, and media coverage focus around the rape of girls and women, the raping of boys in South Asia should not go overlooked. Though such rape cases are reported far less frequently than those with female victims, they occur nonetheless. As mentioned earlier, rape is often committed as an establishment of power and superiority, and in South Asia where masculinity and male dominance is so fundamental to the culture, it is a primary incentive in not only the occurrence of male-onmale rape, but also in the reluctance to report it (as doing so would result in a believed loss of masculinity). Outdated legal clauses
also play a huge role in the silence of male rape victims in South Asia; the Indian legislation, for example, refuses to acknowledge the fact that men can be victims of sexual violence. The Indian Penal Code is a glaring instance of this. The IPC Sections 354A-D, dealing with sexual harassment, disrobing, stalking and voyeurism, explicitly refer to men as the perpetrators of these crimes and women as victims. Similarly, Section 375 of the IPC, which deals with the definitions of rape and legal provisions against it, has no mention of rapes against men, it begins with the statement, “a man is said to commit rape…” proceeding to define the rape of a woman. The only legal redress available to male rape victims in India are the charges under the recently reinstated Section 377 of the IPC, i.e. the anti-sodomy law. This clause criticizes homosexuality as a whole, and neglects to make any apparent distinction between consensual and nonconsensual sex between two males. Many male victims of rape in India therefore fear, rightfully so, that they themselves will be prosecuted for an act of homosexuality. The studies responsible for producing the astonishingly horrific statistics mentioned do not even account for all the rape cases that go unreported. There are a multitude of reasons why the rape problem in South Asia continues to remain so prevalent, only a few of which are discussed in this article, and the fact that the rape problem in South Asia stems from so many different, indirectly related customs only serves to prove just how much attention needs to be paid to this issue at the upcoming PAMUN XV.
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February 13, 2016
The Conference MUNIFICENCE
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PAMUN Venue Changed for Climate Change Conference
PAMUN BY the
NUMBERS
431 DELEGATES
130
COUNTRIES REPRESENTED
65
MUN DIRECTORS/ CHAPERONES/ OBSERVERS
39
SCHOOLS
1 CONFERENCE
World Leaders gather for the December climate change talks in Paris to discuss possible solutions by Caitlin Fowlds
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Staff Writer
96 countries attended the United Nations Paris Climate Conference in November 2015. Due to the conference taking place in Le Bourget site, the Paris MUN (PAMUN) conference was moved to another venue. Although the temperature of the Earth (currently averaging 15°C) fluctuates naturally, the planet is currently warming much more rapidly than it has in the past, according to an article in BBC News. BBC’s article states that the Earth is warmed with the use of greenhouse gases found in the atmosphere. After solar energy has been reflected by the Earth’s surface, the gases absorb and re-emit the energy to Earth. One prevalent example of a greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide. This heating system is vital for human existence; however, gases emitted from modern industry and agriculture are
exacerbating this effect to a dangerous level. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicted in 2007 that the Earth’s average temperature would rise between 1.8°C and 4°C by 2100 if current trends in carbon dioxide emissions continue. However, the group stated that a rise of more than 2°C would be harmful. Therefore, a major aim of the conference was to establish methods of reducing global warming, and to ensure that the Earth would not get more than 2°C hotter by the end of the century. Not all UN Climate Conferences have been successful. This is illustrated by the fact that there have been 21 conferences with little change. The Copenhagen COP15 (2009) conference’s outcomes were unimpressive, with no legal reforms made to prevent global warming. An article in the Guardian reported on the abundance of climate change scepticism, which
caused some countries to hesitate before establishing any restrictive laws. However, the number of climate change sceptics have decreased rapidly in recent years, according to an article published in October 2015 by the Guardian. Around 70% of Americans now believe in global warming - the highest figure since 2008. This new view is reflected in COP21’s resolution. The 2°C goal was bypassed, with countries now being urged to keep the temperature rise below 1.5°C. More than 180 countries pledged to cut carbon dioxide emissions, effective after 2020. All parties made binding commitments to make “nationally determined contributions” (NDCs), and resubmit updated NDCs every five years. Less economically developed countries (LEDCs) will be supported, and given slacker carbon dioxide emission expectations than their more economically-developed partners.
Despite progress, plans discussed in COP21 have some flaws. The combined effects of pledges made to reduce emissions will not prevent a 2°C increase in temperature, scientists say. There are conflicting views on how thorough investigations should be into countries’ emission levels. Some claim that the goals of reaching a 1.5°C global temperature is meaningless, with the conference’s draft only offering vague methods on how this figure will be achieved. As stated by an article in Financial Times, it is no easy feat to persuade countries to extract “trillions of dollars out of activities that produce large amounts of carbon emissions”. Unfortunately, there is a lack of the necessary urgency to prevent global warming. While we continue to heat our Earth, our health is declining, more land is being degraded, and we are losing species which we depend on.
MUNIFICENCE
February 13, 2016
PAMUN
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Migrant Crisis continues to rattle whole of Europe
by Lea Moukanas
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Staff Writer
ramatic shipwrecks of migrants are multiplying themselves at the gates of Europe, while the European Union can neither cope with the flow nor conduct rescues in time with its decried operation Triton, coming after Mare Nostrum. In 2014, at least 3072 migrants died in the Mediterranean, according to the International Organization for Migration. Yet, the migrant crisis continues to rattle the whole of Europe as we go from 2015 to 2016. Four million? 300,000? 100,000? It is hard to estimate the number of people who are crossing to Europe each day. Nevertheless, each time, newspaper headlines are captivating and violent: “EU Blamed for Migrant chaos,” “Carnage in Calais,” and the images, alerting and shocking, remind us of the picture of the three-year-old little Syrian boy, Aylan Kurdi, lying dead on a beach after a shipwreck. Just like Aylan and his family, migrants come from the Middle and Near East, as well as Sub-Saharan Africa, fleeing political instability and economic difficulties. Others have already escaped from their countries and live in refugee camps in border
countries such as Jordan, Libya, Iraq and Lebanon where Syrian refugees represent 25% of the population. Armand, an ACTED volunteer (Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development) explains that life conditions in refugee camps are precarious as, “Refugees were not even aloud to work in the camps nor to act freely. Schools are built by NGO but not even 40% of the kids attend classes. Why would they go to school if they are not allowed to work after?” Out of those camps, very few refugees will manage to get a visa to Europe. Thereby, the less fortunate will risk their lives in makeshift boats to cross the Mediterranean Sea. In Europe, the massive arrival of migrants causes Syrian Refugees arriving on the shores of Lesbos, Greece on September 2nd, 2015 numerous social inquiries and stirs the political the problem, fault lines European Union Commis- war is the epitome of this sphere. “The 28 members have opened up across the sion’s proposal for manda- dehumanized influx of of the EU agreed on Sep- European Union - both tory quotas. They, indeed, migrants. With the Islamic tember 23rd to raise at east-west and north-south installed razor wire fences State’s rise to power, and least 1 billion Euros for - because of the migrant between boundary coun- the political instability United Nations agencies crisis. On the one hand, tries and Hungarian riot of the actual regime, the assisting refugees in the some countries, under police fired water cannons prospect of an outcome to neighboring countries Germany’s aegis, are and tear gas at refugees. the war seems more disof Syria,” stated Donald willing to give asylum to Today, the migration tant than ever. It remains Tusk, president of the migrants. For instance, the process and the ensu- unclear whether the EuroEuropean Council. Thus, Foreign Minister of Cro- ing crisis are becoming pean Union will come to a this decision comes in the atia said that his “country exponentially massive consensus in the following wake of the agreement on would give asylum to few in a world where every months. The world’s eyes the distribution of 160,000 migrants.” On the other political action has social remain riveted on Europe. refugees between EU hand, Hungary – a hotspot and humanitarian reperstates. If European politi- for migrants – refused the cussions. The Syrian civil cians seem to have solved
MEET THE PRESS
T
he PAMUN newspaper started at they very first conference. It wasn't until 2008 that it was named MUNIFICENCE. Ever since, the staff has been committed to creating an informative and enjoyable newspaper. This is the first of four issues for this year's conference. We hope you enjoy reading our articles each day! The word munificence means "bountifulness and generosity" so we all hope you see this newspaper as exactly that. Everyday we will deliver quality information pertaining to both the conference and world news.
Editor-in-Chief Ana Madero
Deputy Editors
Sofia Camacho & Svenya Briach
Photo Editor Luigi Maruani
MUN Director Ouriel Reshef
Writers
Lea Moukanas Oksana Nikitenko Kaitlin Fowlds Kathleen Falconer Sonja Milekovic Caroline Klaey Megumi Sano Blythe Edwards Karya Sezener Henrik Elster Hamza Sait
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In Focus
February 13, 2016
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MUNificence
Breaking the Cycle of Poverty: The Solution lies in Education by Ana Madero Staff Writer
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ccording to the World Factbook, slightly over one billion people worldwide are illiterate. Too often, a lack of education has a direct link to poverty. The organization Room to Read estimates that 171 million people would no longer live in poverty if every child had an education. Given this link, the best way to combat poverty is to target the global education crisis. Working in a remote, poor village in the Kalahari desert of South Africa last summer showed me how large an impact education has on so many aspects of a community. This village, Ganap, has no indoor plumbing, no heating, and a substantial part of its population affected by HIV/AIDS. Unlike students in many wealthier communities, who see education as a hassle, the children of Ganap were very eager to come to school. On our last day, I sat with these children and asked them what their dream for South Africa is. In almost perfect unison, they all responded “I want the people of my country to be educated.” One kid, ZT, stood up and said that once the people of South Africa were educated, the rest of their problems would go away. There is no denying the global education epidemic, and the issue of utmost importance is education for young girls. Girls’ education involves more than just literacy and poverty. Preventing a girl from becoming educated can increase her chances to suffer from disease and hunger, child labor and rape. UNICEF estimates that in 2013, thirty-two million girls
that should be in primary or secondary school dropped out of school. Gender equality in the education sector is an enormous problem. By 2015, less than fifty per cent of countries will have achieved gender parity in education. Educating a girl changes everything about her life: she is less likely to marry young and against her will, she is more likely to have fewer and healthier children and perhaps most importantly, an educated women will be more likely to encourage her children to pursue an education, thus breaking the cycle. The problem for children all around the world, and the children I worked with, is that they do not have sufficient resources to improve their education standards. Although the kids of Ganap were eager to come to school, their school, like others in poor regions, was poorly built, the desks were falling apart, and their teachers are not well versed in the topics they are teaching. I believe the best way to improve education is to focus on that last point: the teachers. If we can help more local teachers with their own professional development, they will be more encouraged to help the young learners of their communities. Once teachers have the knowledge to successfully support their students, the cycle of inadequate education can stop. We do not have to spend large quantities of money sending people to these countries to replace the teachers in these communities. By sending outsiders to these communities, we are showing them that they do not have the power to change their own
lives. Empowerment is such a large part of education, so we must instill those values from the very beginning. Instead of sending people to replace the teachers, we need to send people to coach the teachers. If we want to reduce the percentage of people living under two and a half dollars a day, a number estimated by the World Bank to be as high as fifty percent of the global population, we have to start with education. We have to focus all our efforts on training teachers in the affected areas, not in some office miles away. Encouraging local teachers to become better educators would be the most cost effective way to combat illiteracy and reduce poverty. The kids I worked with in South Africa all wanted to become teachers. As one of the founders of the Kalahari Education Experience says, “paint fades but an education lasts forever.” If we can motivate other young learners around the globe to become great teachers, we can end the education crisis.
International Court of Has Justice Been Wrongfully Served Against the Rock? Justice by Sonja Milekovic
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Staff Writer
any committees encompass the vast reach of PAMUN’s various topics discussed. One of the arguably most important, but least discussed, is the ICJ. Within the confines of PAMUN, ICJ is one of the most exciting committees you will come across. It is comprised of 2 teams of 2 advocates each and 3 judges (a president, vice-president and a restrar) wherein they present their case on a specific issue in order to determine the status of said issue. The advocates are extremely competent and creative; they are one step ahead of each other, playing the court like a strategic war game, one battle after another. This year, the ICJ will be discussing the sovereignty of Gibraltar. Gibraltar is located in the
southern end of the Iberian Peninsula and borders Spain’s province Cádiz. Over the years, the sovereignty of Gibraltar has moved from the Moorish to Spain and recently, been classed as an “Overseas Territory” of the British Empire. Gibraltar, also known as “the Rock,” holds a small population just under 30,000 people and is an ethnic mixture of majorly British, Spanish and Italian. Gibraltar currently has its own parliament and is heavily reliant on the ideals that they are to have a greater say in the decisions made by Spain and the UK, however both countries raise the UN Resolution 1514 (XV) which claims that an attempt aimed at the disruption of the integrity of a territory is against the principles of the Charter of the United Nations; the UK argues that Spain does not have the right to disrupt Gibraltar, however Spain counters that the resolution applies solely
to indigenous communities, not colonies. The Spanish do not agree with the UK’s appeals concerning Gibraltar and are requesting access to the territorial waters as well as administrative access to the government of Gibraltar. On the other hand, the United Kingdom is stating that Gibraltar is not a colony and deserves the right to self-determination. Overall, both sides hold many requests and tensions are high between the two empires. It is sure to be an interesting case with many rebuttals and excellent cross-examinations by the advocates to help prove their cases. Tensions will transfer to this intense and interesting question of the sovereignty of Gibraltar. Come watch the advocates shine and discuss the Rock in all its glory.